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Acing the Interview

There is no doubt that spring is right around the corner after such a mild winter. With the turn of the season comes the time for both full-time and summer internship interviews. This posting relates to the discussion we held at our last monthly iChoose meeting on February 7th. Once you've applied to a multitude of jobs or internships that interest you, the next step is interviewing with an employer that sees potential in you. However, an interview is definitely not something that you can walk into blindly. This initial impression is critical to advancing into the next interview round or securing the job; the employer will be able to tell if you're genuine, truly want the opportunity, know about the company, and if you came prepared.

First off, arrive early and give yourself ample time to get to your destination. You should act professional at all times and dress yourself accordingly. This means looking formal, but conservative (an upcoming post will address this specifically). You should always have your portfolio, copies of your resume, a writing utensil, tissues, and water. Adopt a positive attitude, exude confidence, act curious and friendly, and make sure your breath is decent!

The CCD website is brimming full with interview tips and resources that will be continually referred to during this post. Click here to read some additional first impression tips and advice!

Your body language is just as important as the words you choose. Make sure to stand or sit up straight, maintain strong eye contact, smile, and do not fold your arms. Refer to the employer by name and be the first to extend your hand for a firm, two pump, handshake.

Here is a quick list of 10 mistakes that you don't want to make

• Arriving disheveled
• Forgetting that everyone is an interviewer
• Not answering the question asked
• Not understanding the job you are interviewing for
• Letting an early mistake ruin the rest of the interview
• Memorizing your answers
• Being arrogant
• Talking about your personal issues 
• Confusing professionalism with coldness
• Speaking negatively about the competition

Avoid those blunders and you'll already be off to a strong start!

Remember some of the strengths that you've developed as a result of the core competencies taught through the Babson curriculum. These include leadership, teamwork, oral/written communication, initiative, problem solving and analytic skills, pattern of accomplishment, and flexibility. However, the competencies you should communicate to the interviewer differ depending on the industry you are looking to enter. For instance, a banking job/internship would value finance and quantitative skills whereas a marketing internship would appreciate strong research skills and a sense of creativity. Don't forget the competencies that are all too familiar to an entrepreneur! Passion, embracing change, innovative thinking, opportunity recognition, resourcefulness, risk taking, effective strategy development, global citizenship, and making a both positive and powerful impact are highlights of the entrepreneurial spirit.

                                          

Just like the candidates interviewing, there are many different types and formats of interviews.

The most common interview types are:

• Informational: Reverse interview where you are information gathering rather than seeking an exact position.
• Traditional: Typically a first round interview, or start of any interview.
• Behavioral: Generally given by the hiring managers or potential colleagues.
• Case: Was reserved for consulting in the past, but more and more industries have been utilizing this format.
• Personality Testing
• Structured/Unstructured

Don't worry; once again the CCD website has you covered. Below is a link describing what each type is like and how to prepare for them.

Types of Interviews and How to Prepare for Each 

Some common interview formats include 1:1, a panel/committee, lunch or dinner, presentation, second interview, or a phone interview. Have a phone interview scheduled? Click this link!

The most important part of interview preparation is research, both pertaining to the company of interest and your own unique attributes.

Make sure you know company specific information:

• The Employer
• The Market
• The Interviewers
• Other Interviewees
• The Job

You should be able to effectively articulate key strengths about yourself:

• Skills
• Experiences
• Values
• Motivators
• Passion
• Interests

Below is a list of the questions you should be able to answer if you have done an adequate job of researching before the interview:

• In particular, what type of business does the company do?
• Which industries does the company conduct business in?
• How large is the company? Where do they do business? Who are their customers? What are their products/services?
• What types of professional development opportunities does the company offer?
• What are the career paths from this point of entry (within and outside the company)?
• What is a typical day, week, year like?
• Who is the interviewer? What is his/her role in the company? Do your research beforehand!

                             

You should go into the interview having identified a list of at least ten critical success factors. Determine how these are used on the job and construct relevant examples. Don't forget that every employer could benefit from an entrepreneurial-oriented mind. Also, make sure you have a thorough understanding of the company culture and how you fit into it. If you know what you offer and communicate it enthusiastically and positively, the interviewer will certainly sense the genuineness of your interest and remember it. Create an index card for each critical success factor (CSF) and use bullet points to record relevant examples of each. Think about circumstance, action, and result (CAR) as you are doing this. 

The dialogue of the interview should be a meaningful conversation, not a question and answer session.

Focus on the employee's needs at all times, but make sure you tell your story. Make it memorable, demonstrate your personality and passions, and set yourself apart from the crowd. Make sure you ask the interviewer thoughtful, insightful questions. Here is a link to some examples found on the CCD website, but additional questions should come from your own needs and additional research.

When the interview is finished a memorable wrap up is just as important as the conclusion in any paper you've turned in. Summarize your fit for the position, your passion for the job, company, and industry, and remember to reiterate the themes and headlines you communicated throughout the interview. Clarify next steps and express your appreciation for the chance to interview with him/her. Ask for a business card if you are not offered one, leave with a handshake, and address the employer by name once again. Make sure you send a thank-you e-mail within 24 hours referencing your meeting and conversation specifics. Follow up on any requests you received.

The CCD website has important follow-up steps that you should check out here!

Also, don't forget that you can send up a mock interview with CCD anytime to gain invaluable practice and realistic preparation. Call 781.239.4215 to schedule an appointment in advance or just drop in the office in Hollister 106 to make an appointment at the front desk.

If an interviewer said, "For the next 20 minutes, talk to me about our industry, our firm, and why you would be a good fit for the position," would you be ready? 

Preparing for the Internship Fair

Whether you have experience speaking with recruiters, been to an internship fair before, or attending such an event for the first time, we could all benefit from reviewing a few tips! The Undergraduate Center for Career Development emphasizes it's slogan, "Explore. Discover. Connect. Achieve." In this career development process, the internship fair is a prime event to connect; it is an essential action step in which individual passions and skills collide with opportunities to build your network and climb closer to your ultimate career goals.

                                                         

The iChoose Seminar is all about the beginning of the process, explore. However, now that you have become familiar with the unique set of attributes, strengths, and passions that set you apart from the crowd, it is up to you to discover and describe how your abilities suit the culture, mission, and strategy of the company you want to work or intern for. It's all about doing your homework, a task that should be all too familiar for you from your time as Babson. Conduct research on a selection of the companies attending the internship fair that interest you. There is a plethora of resources available to you including, but not limited to, Career Connections, the alumni directory, Horn Library, the company's website, Google, Wall Street Journal, news sites, and many more. Once you have a firm grasp on the company's history, direction, current state/goals, and their culture, you will be comfortable with the common ground you share with the recruiter, impress him or her, make meaningful contributions to the conversation, and effectively market yourself. 

Below are some basic questions to ask an employer.

• Can you tell me more about the full-time/summer internship opportunities?
• What skills are you seeking in new hires?
• What personal qualities do you consider critical to being successful in this job?
• How has [mention a business trend or current event] affect the company/your work?
• What is the work environment like at [company name]?
• What do you like most about [company name]?
• What are the typical assignments of new employees?
• How do I apply for positions at [company name]?

How should you look? How else can you prepare?

• First impressions are crucial. Dress in conservative, well-pressed, appropriate business attire.
• Portray a positive attitude. Be confident, curious, and friendly.
• Be organized! Bring a portfolio with pockets for incoming & outgoing business cards.
• Bring enough copies of your resume, paper, a pen or pencil, and sharpie
• Place your name tag on the right side of your chest with large, legible writing
• You can go with a friend, but don't compete with or rely on him/her.
• Don't go hungry or distracted, keep your mind on the task instead of holding drinks or food
• Scale the room, define your strategy and keep your perception open. 
• Keep your conversations from 3-5 minutes, make notes afterwards on the discussion
• Keep open body language, appear approachable and engaging
• Stand up straight, smile, maintain eye contact, remember to give the employers their personal space
• Be the first person to extend your hand, give a firm handshake while maintaining eye contact
• Depart from the conversation with another handshake and refer to the employer by name
• Don't speak too softly or too quickly, make the interaction a conversation rather than a Q&A
• Be a good, active listener
• Remember how many students each employer is meeting with. Differentiate yourself without dominating his or her time.

The internship fair is about the needs of the employers so remember not to focus on yourself, but instead how you can meet their needs and help the company. Think about how you want to be remembered, prepare key points about yourself and your qualifications that you can enthusiastically communicate within a minute. The more you practice and are comfortable with your introduction, the stronger and smoother your initial impression will be (and stick in the employer's mind). When you wrap up the conversation, ask for what you need! This could mean keeping in touch, building your network, seeking additional information or an introduction, initiating an informational interview, or additional needs that arose from listening and inquiring throughout the conversation. Offer your business card and resume. Ask the employer to contact you if a internship related to your field of interest arises at their company.

Example of an engaging wrap-up statement:

Alan, thank you again for coming to Babson. I’ll be here for the next four years. If there is anything I can do for you, let me know. I’m taking a class with Professor X. I think some of her current research is right up your alley, I’d be happy to make an introduction if you’re interested. Also, I’m beginning to get involved with the Marketing Club. If you’d ever like to be involved in a club program to connect with marketing students, let me know.

May I have your business card and keep in touch?


Following Up

• Take a few minutes to digest the conversation 
• Write some notes: What did you learn? How can you help them? How can they help you? 
• Send a thank you e-mail within 24 hours referencing the meeting and conversation, offer resources and connections, follow up on requests, and include a copy of your resume 
• Update your contact/networking database

Soon you'll be a seasoned pro at marketing yourself, but always remember that an education revolving around entrepreneurial thought and action sets you apart from other candidates across the globe. Entrepreneurial thought and action generates success in a volatile economy, promotes innovation, embraces change, sparks passion, strategically identifies and solves problems, takes risks, creates opportunities, and effectively utilizes resources at hand. Market your Babson experience and the tools that your challenging, but rewarding education has equipped you with. When you connect with employers though careful research and preparation, it will come as no surprise to you when you arrive at last next step: achieve.